Aircraft weight affects fuel efficiency and limits the mass of cargo and passengers that can be carried. It is therefore generally desirable to reduce the weight of aircraft components to increase fuel efficiency and/or load capacity of an aircraft. One method of reducing aircraft weight is to form various components from lighter weight materials. One material useful for some weight reduction applications comprises a composite resin that may be reinforced with carbon or other fibers. However, various factors, including strength requirements, appearance, and the conditions to which the components are subjected, limit the materials that can be used for certain applications. In some cases, substituting a composite material for a metallic element will require a change to the size, shape or construction of the element being replaced. It is generally not possible to reduce aircraft weight merely by replacing every metallic element in the aircraft with an identical composite member.
Aircraft wheels are generally made from aluminum or metal alloys. Wheels are subjected to significant stresses, especially when an aircraft lands and when brakes are applied to rapidly decelerate the aircraft. In light of these stresses, aircraft wheels are examples of metallic parts that cannot easily be replaced with composite elements. It would therefore be desirable to provide an aircraft wheel that achieves weight reduction through the use of composite materials.